TAMMY KENT: Mum and son keep fit with boxing

Overnight closures as work on main Portsmouth road continues

MARIA Norman is a popular girl in Gosport because she is a well-known barber at Club Class in North Cross Street.

Maria is 35 and has worked there for 11 years.

She tells me she enjoys chatting to all the clients, young and old.

When clients ask her what sport she likes she says it always starts a very interesting conversation.

Maria took her young daughter Megan along to Gosport Boxing Club, run by local legend Darren Blair.

Her aim was to help build up her confidence.

Megan enjoyed going and attended for a few years but eventually decided it wasn’t for her.

But, by then, Maria had been bitten by the boxing bug and was soon joined by her son Owen.

Owen, 11, has become a carded boxer, which means he can take part in amateur bouts.

Maria has become a qualified ABA boxing coach.

Owen has won many a match – and lost a few too on points.

Maria told me she really looks forward to training and coaching and it’s great how big the club has become over the years.

Darren Blair puts his heart and soul into the club. She says he is a fantastic coach but she feels he doesn’t get the recognition he deserves.

There is a great team there – Amanda Holloway, Danny Gerlack, John Gaze and Mark Cooper.

A couple of new gents are joining the team soon.

Maria says she feels very humble to be part of Gosport Boxing Club and that they are a great team.

She says there is some amazing talent to watch in the future.

The age range at Gosport Boxing Club is four to more than 50.

They accept mini boxers, juniors and seniors, male and female.

Maria added: ‘I love boxing, its a great sport – brilliant for fitness, and fantastic that we have a lot of girls and ladies attending sessions now.

‘Darren had a fantastic season last year with our male and female boxers, and this year is going to be bigger and better. So I’d like to say a huge congratulations to all coaches and boxers involved.

‘The time and effort they put into the club is outstanding.’

The club is in Cranborne Road. Find it online at gosportboxingclub.co.uk.

Or, if you are like me and just like raising money by eating cake, pop into Tammy’s One Stop Party Shop on Saturday between 11am and 2pm and meet Marshall from Paw Patrol while raising money for the charity Square Pegs.